


Le Chat est Joueur

by DashingHeights



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fluff, I have a purr-oblem, LITERALLY, Lots of cat petting, SO MUCH FLUFF, is the best tag ive ever seen, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:20:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24331954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DashingHeights/pseuds/DashingHeights
Summary: Quarantine was getting to everyone, but especially Adrien Agreste. He never thought he’d have so much free time, and he was over it. Thankfully, Chat Noir provided the perfect escape.This turned into something totally different than I originally sat down to write. It’s probably the most wholesome thing I’ve ever written. The title is supposed to say “The Cat is Playful” so please correct me if it doesn’t lmao.Set between season 1 and season 2. Rated T for language. Wash your hands.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, marichat - Relationship
Comments: 4
Kudos: 46





	Le Chat est Joueur

**Author's Note:**

> Note: I just finished what’s on Netflix and bro this shit is fucking me up. I did not think I would like this show as much as I do. So here’s some Chat Noir-centric fluff because this stupid cat has stolen my heart and focus. This man is a dingus and I love it.

The night was crisp but not cold. A lot of the city lights were off, which made the stars even more visible than usual. It took a lot – _a lot_ – of convincing from Plagg for Adrien to believe him that kwamis couldn’t catch illnesses from humans and he would be fine to go out for a midnight run every once in a while. The first night, he’d been extremely cautious about staying on the roof of his own house and only being out for less than an hour. But it was week 3, day 2 now and he’d all but abandoned his worries. That probably, in some part, had to do with how bored they both were growing. If Adrien hated his pristine walls on a normal day, quarantine made him loathe his bedroom. But since everyone was staying indoors and not interacting, akuma activity had plummeted dramatically and there wasn’t anything for him to do. School and his extracurricular activities were cancelled. He almost hoped Hawk Moth had come down with this dumb disease, but he flinched after having the thought because that was a little much, even for a villain.

At this hour, basically everything that wasn’t run by the city was closed and locked. Cat Noir dangled his feet over the edge of the awning he sat on, a bag of crisps next to him and a pair of wireless earbuds in his human ears. He suspected that, if anyone had been around to, his music could be heard from the street below; that was how loud he was blasting it. His cat ears flicked against the windless sky, tail thumping to the beat and feet kicking contently. This was way better than anything else he could possibly be doing right now, by far. His claws clicked pleasingly against the tin of the awning, the vibrations oddly satisfying even if he couldn’t hear the sound it made. He felt very, very grateful he was blessed with the ability to get out like this. He wondered if Ladybug ever did this; sneaking around at night just to be out of the house. He hadn’t seen her for about a month now and there wasn’t a single day that went by she didn’t cross his mind at least once. He hoped she thought of him, too.

As his feline eyes raked the horizon, taking in the roof tops with their billowing chimneys and balcony gardens, he fidgeted. Chat Noir was growing antsier by the second and needed to move about again. He grabbed the shoulder bag behind him and stuffed the crisps inside, getting to his feet and picking a direction to pounce off in. It didn’t matter where he was going, he just needed to go. The music in his ears took over part of his movements, dancing across rooftops between leaps and bounds. At one point, he swung under a shop sign and landed on a strut bridging an alley. His toes tapped on the thin metal as he shimmied across, swinging his head and shoulders to a beat unbeknownst to the rest of the world. Paris was silent and oblivious to his flash performance.

Well.

Most of Paris.

As he vaulted over steep shingles and landed with a very exaggerated twirl, the quietest gasp cut through his concentration. The leather-clad hero whipped around to see he was standing on a flat, concrete roof across from the Boulangerie Patisserie bakery. And on the balcony of said bakery, feet propped up with a sketchbook in her lap and a pencil dangling from between her lips, was Marinette. He had clearly startled her because her hand was on her chest and her eyes were wide with surprise, mouth agape. They stared at each for what felt like centuries before Marinette finally scoffed. Her face morphed into one of judgement and skepticism as she called across the street, “Are superheroes immune to the virus, or what?” Chat Noir’s ear twitched as he chuckled to himself, hopping across to crouch on the roof above her, tail swishing mischievously behind him and head cocked in a very kitten-like manner. “Long story short, yes,” He confirmed, hoping Plagg hadn’t just lied to him because he was so bored, “though I commend your scrutiny. Keep it up, citizen.”

“yeah, sure,” Marinette mumbled around her pencil, turning back to leaf through her sketchbook for something to alter or continue. Chat anchored his staff in the rain gutter and hung off the end upside down, watching her designs flip by. “Whacha doin’?” He asked innocently, with an air of playfulness. The pigtailed designer sighed and glanced to him out of the corner of her eye. Then she leaned further away and pushed his face the other direction, “Hey, keep your social distance, Chat.” He laughed, not even trying to fight her hand, “I’m not the one making physical contact.” Her hand jerked away as she glared halfheartedly at him. If he couldn’t carry the disease, she supposed it didn’t really matter, anyway. She made a mental note to ask Tikki about that later. “You’re still a figure of authority in this city,” She reasoned, “what if someone besides me saw? What kind of message are you sending being out and about right now?”

There was almost a ‘mrow’ in his giggle as he quipped in return, “Who else besides you would be out here at this time of night?” She didn’t have a comeback for that, so she just pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes in disapproval. Her eyes tracked him as he dropped onto the balcony next to her, taking in the fact that he had earbuds and a bag with him. It was… odd, to say the least; seeing him with things other than his suit and staff. It ruined some of the superhero illusion and starkly reminded her that he was just a person behind the mask. A person with expensive taste, apparently. “I guess I can’t fault you for being bored,” Marinette finally lamented, closing her book and tucking the pencil into a sleeve on the front. “Yes, thank you,” Chat sounded vaguely exasperated, leaning on the railing, “I can’t stand staring at the same four walls all day. I was gonna tear my hair out if I didn’t get some fresh air.”

Marinette imagined most people felt that way, at this point. She did, anyway, which was why she spent most of her time out on the balcony lately. They glanced at each other. It was incredibly relieving to have some form of social interaction. They each could see the gears in one another’s head turn. “Do you want some pastries?” The bluenette offered, earning herself a wide, toothy grin and an excited head nod. She rolled her eyes, getting up from her seat and heading inside. She left the trapdoor open behind her as she slid through the lower one, “I’ll be right back.” When she returned, Chat was perched on her desk chair, legs crossed and ears trained forward intently. He gratefully accepted the pastry box she handed him, throwing the lid open and licking his lips. She teased, “Do you need milk with that, kitty?”

“Do you have any?”

Marinette sputtered, not expecting a serious answer, but she noticed the slight smirk on his face and scoffed with a shake of her head. Chat stowed his earbuds in his bag before digging into his treat. His host watched him curiously from her bed as she opened her laptop to find a movie or something. She wasn’t sure how long the company would last for, but she didn’t expect him to finish three pastries and then put the rest in his bag. He stood, wiping his mouth and licking his claws clean with a pleased hum, “Thanks for that. It’s been so long since I’ve had homemade anything.” He turned for the balcony and Marinette rather hastily asked, “You’re leaving already?” The black cat raised an eyebrow over his shoulder, “Should I not?”

“Well, I mean, if you need to,” Marinette blushed and looked away from him. He shrugged and faced her again, “I don’t need to. Just didn’t want to overstay my welcome. But if I haven’t..” He gave her a sly smile and an eyebrow wiggle. She resisted pinching the bridge of her nose to stave off a phantom headache, instead shrugging back and gesturing to her laptop, “I was going to watch a movie.” That was all the invitation he needed, dropping back into the desk chair and swiveling over to her bedside with a stupid, smug smile, “Lady’s choice.” Marinette ignored the brief flutter in her chest those words caused, instead scooting over and saying, “You don’t have to sit on the chair.”

“Are you sure?” Chat asked, his eyes mockingly concerned, “social distancing and all.” With a lick of her lips and great resolve, Marinette sighed her exhaustion through her nose, “Don’t make me change my mind about letting you stay here.” Chat giggled again and settled onto the bed next to her, folding his hands over his lap and watching the laptop screen for her streaming choice. It was shockingly inviting having a warm body next to her. Marinette was almost alarmed at the tension that seeped out of her body with her Chaton so close. They wordlessly basked in each other’s company, both very aware that their arms and shoulders brushed if either one of them shifted even a little.

By the time the movie was over it, it was very late-early. Not that they had anything going on they needed sleep for, but Marinette at least believed keeping a semi-regular sleep schedule was important. The Adrien side of Chat so wanted to remind her that she was the one constantly late for class because of sleeping in, but he held his tongue. She was shooing him off her balcony before he knew it, the pastries safely in his bag and a sense of social fulfillment settled warmly in his chest. “Thanks for letting me party crash,” He saluted her as he leapt away into the night. Marinette was too tired to deliver a clever sendoff.

Once safely through his bedroom window, Adrien reverted and flopped down on his bed, arms wide. Plagg lazily floated over to the cheese stash that was kept for him, “You sure better be grateful, Kiddo. What would you do without me?” But as he turned to beam at his holder, he realized Adrien was already soundly asleep and snoring softly. The kwami sighed and shrugged his tiny shoulders.

* * *

“Adriieeenn, dude, it’s been so long since I’ve seen your face!” Nino’s excited voice easily out-volumed the game’s audio. Adrien chuckled, unable to help the smile at hearing his best friend’s signature dialect. The blonde had the game up on his center monitor, Nino’s call on the left one where his webcam was. “It’s really good to see you, Nino,” He said sincerely, adjusting the headset and mic on his head. It was about time they got their butts in gear to set this session up. “Am I comin’ through clearly?” The boy on the other end of the screen asked, adjusting his webcam which jostled Adrien’s eyes to watch. He shook his head with a chuckle, “Yeah, it looks good, man.” He scratched his chin as he waited for Nino to connect, humming to himself. It had been two days since his escapade that ended at Marinette’s place. He hadn’t gone out since, not wanting to push his luck and risk getting caught by someone else. Besides, the brief social interaction had recharged his batteries a little. Even Plagg seemed more relaxed, lounging on top of the center monitor well out of camera view.

As their session started, Nino was rambling about stuff he hadn’t got to tell Adrien since they’d been on lockdown. A lot of it consisted of mundane things, how his parents were handling the situation, their eating habits. “And I miss you guys,” He concluded with, “you and Alya and Marinette. It doesn’t feel right not seeing you every day.” Adrien glanced a the image of Nino, who wasn’t looking at him but focused on the game, “Yeah, I get it. I miss you guys, too.” He really did. Being around their friend group gave him some semblance of normalcy, and a break from his disastrous home life. Without that, he was practically wallowing. He didn’t shower regularly, he didn’t eat regularly, and he sure as hell didn’t sleep regularly. He’d had a mini crisis when Nino asked to video call, debating if he should shower quickly first or if his depression wasn’t visible enough for him to worry about it yet. In the end, he’d settled for running a ton of water through his hair and wearing the biggest, clunkiest headset he had to hopefully distract from his greasy locks.

It just so happened that his biggest, clunkiest headset was the Chat Noir one he bought as a joke last week. There were cat ears on the top band and a tacky pair of green eyes on each earmuff. It was delivered yesterday, and he’d honestly forgotten about it at first because it had been a late-night impulse buy; a funny inside joke between himself and himself. Nino hadn’t seemed to notice or didn’t say anything if he did. Maybe he didn’t care.

“Speaking of Alya,” Nino’s voice broke his train of thought. His friend was looking at his phone with a dopey smile, chuckling to himself. “You wanna invite her to the call?” Adrien offered, not minding in the least that they would have another person to talk to. Plus, if Alya joined, it wouldn’t be long before she invited Marinette. And he was curious to see what she’d been up to since their visit, not that she knew it was _their_ visit. Nino was too excited to actually say yes, he just sent the invite and waited with a big grin. “Hey, you two,” Alya’s energetic voice cut off the call tone, “what’s up?”

“Kickin ass, babe,” Nino helpfully supplied. Adrien scoffed a chuckle, “YOU’RE kicking ass. I suck today.” He sighed as the match ended and his username was displayed at the bottom of the list. “Maybe you just need a third support,” Alya suggested, which Adrien took as her segue to invite Marinette. He was hopeful, at least. “Third support?” He feigned ignorance. She didn’t answer, but he heard the call tone and didn’t have to look to know who she had dialed. “Alya, I’m in the middle of a commission,” Marinette’s protest made them all snicker. She wasn’t looking at her laptop, which probably meant she’d answered without checking who it was. “Too busy for us, Mari?” Nino teased, causing the bluenette to jerk her gaze to the screen. She blushed immediately as she realized it wasn’t just Alya. “O-oh, no, that’s not- What I meant was- uh..” She fumbled for an explanation, avoiding looking at Adrien specifically. After a few awkward seconds she sighed and pushed her sewing machine away, “Of course not. Sorry. This is just how I’ve been occupying my time.”

 _And inviting handsome superheroes to movie night_ , Adrien internally smirked, biting his tongue to keep a neutral smile. Her hair was down and uncombed. She had bags under her eyes (regular sleep schedule his tail) and she was slumped in her desk chair in an exhausted way. She somehow seemed tense even though she was practically ragdolled. “You need a break from this break, girl,” Alya commented, glancing her up and down, “you been staying up all night again?” Marinette flushed lightly and shrugged, “Not _all_ night.” Adrien bit his lip, empathetically inputting, “I haven’t been sleeping well, either.” They all looked at him with that same ‘we know how that is’ expression. Nino rubbed his eye and said, “You have a whole mansion to wander, at least.”

“Yeah, more than half of which I’m not allowed in. Especially nowadays. This quarantine blows,” Adrien bitterly mumbled, slumping in his chair. The headset shifted forward on his head, which made it appear as if the ears had twitched with his sullen mood. That caught Alya’s attention. She tipped her head as a wicked smirk split her face and she asked, “Is that a Chat Noir headset you’re wearing?” The blonde boy coughed and pushed the band back into place, shrugging sheepishly, “Maybe. Why?” Alya cackled, “Are you a Chat Noir fanboy, Adrien?” He rolled his eyes, cheeks pinking at being called a fanboy of himself. “It was an impulse buy,” He tried to excuse it, fingering one of the plastic cat ears, “it’s probably why I’m losing so bad, black cats being the epitome of bad luck and all.” A loud _thud_ drew all their attention to their screens. Marinette was now sitting upright, her fist on her desk and a deep scowl on her tired features, “Chat Noir is not bad luck. How dare you disrespect him while wearing his merch.” There were a few seconds of silence in which no one dared move, then Alya threw her head back in a howl and Marinette’s face morphed into mortified shock. She hadn’t meant to say that. Nino and Adrien shared surprised looks, but Nino was smirking and Adrien was just confused. “Oh no, Marinette!” Alya was doubled over in her seat, “don’t tell me you have a thing for Chat Noir!”

Marinette shook her head wildly, uncombed hair growing even more disheveled, “No, I do not! I just- nevermind!” The nerve! He was her partner, that was all. So what if Chat Noir and Marinette had a slightly different dynamic than Chat Noir and Ladybug? So what if being without the mask made it harder to hide her blush and resist his charm? That didn’t mean anything. Still, she wouldn’t stand for anyone insinuating negative things about him. But Alya knew better. Few things would cause her blue-haired bestie to have an outburst like that, especially towards Adrien. “Come on, girl, spill the deets,” She teased, knowing full well it wouldn’t cause anything but flustered blabbering from Marinette, “did he sweep you off your feet in the middle of the night? Find yourself a stray to bring home?”

Marinette was hiding her crimson face in her hands, screaming muffled. Nino was laughing along with Alya, but Adrien was just staring at Marinette’s image with the dumbest crooked smile. She liked Chat Noir? She had a crush on Chat Noir! Marinette Dupain-Cheng had a crush on Chat Noir. She had a crush on _him_.

 _What about Ladybug?_ his brain unhelpfully reminded him. He frowned. Ladybug didn’t like him like that. She’d said as much time and time again. Where was the harm in exploring other options? _Ladybug would tell you it’s too dangerous to date a civilian_. Ladybug always knew best. His frown deepened, brow furrowing. Ladybug always _thought_ she knew best. But she wasn’t the boss of him and she didn’t have any right to tell him he couldn’t see Marinette. Especially right now, when there hadn’t been an akuma in weeks and he was feeling lonelier than ever.

His friends calling his name broke his train of thought. “Huh?” He looked back to the screen, realizing his face had been screwed up in deep thought. “You’re like sulking over there,” Alya pointed out. Adrien rubbed his neck and yawned dramatically, “Oh. Sorry, I’m just tired.” That wasn’t entirely a lie, but he was less tired than his mood was simply down lately. Marinette was no longer hunched in a ball, her blush faded significantly. They must have moved on to a new conversation. How long had he been zoned out? He glanced at Plagg, who was looking at him with raised eyebrows. “Well, I’d better go so I can finish this commission,” Marinette said softly, smiling apologetically to them. Alya sighed heavily but nodded, “Yeah, I should go, too. I really need a shower.”

“Don’t we all,” Nino hummed in agreement. That eased Adrien’s nerves a little, to know they were all struggling with basic priorities. “I should take a nap,” He lamely excused himself just so they could all end the call at the same time. Not that he didn’t want to talk to Nino more, but he did need a shower and a change of clothes. Plus, maybe he would wash his sheets, or at least change them. Once the call was over and he’d closed the game they were playing, he stood from his chair and looked around his room. Suddenly, all the motivation drained from his body and he was left slouched with only the desire to sleep for the next week. Plagg floated around him, rubbing his chin, “You’re not looking so hot, Kiddo.” Adrien grunted, sitting heavily on his bed, “I’m not feeling so hot, Plagg.”

“You’re not getting sick, are you?” Plagg’s voice was slightly panicked, which was a different emotion to hear from him. The kwami drifted to press his cheek on Adrien’s forehead, as if taking his temperature. “No, Plagg, I’m not sick,” The blonde assured him. This wasn’t an illness, at least not of the physical kind. He was pretty sure this was depression, or something akin to depression; this feeling of wanting to do nothing and yet feeling like he should be doing something. Quarantine was really getting to him. “You want some cheese?” Plagg offered feebly, holding a square of camembert in his tiny arms. Adrien shook his head with a thankful smile, “I think I just need a nap. Maybe I’ll feel better by tonight.”

And maybe he could visit Marinette tonight. That would surely lift his spirits.

* * *

She wasn’t on her balcony and her bedroom light was off. Chat Noir’s ears flattened in disappointment. If she was sleeping, he didn’t want to wake her. She looked so tired earlier that day and he would be remiss to ignore that for his own, selfish interests. But just as he was about to slink off to the next roof, he noticed a faint light flash across her bedroom floor. Through the trapdoor, he could tell it was disrupted by a shadow. Someone was moving around her room. Marinette? Or one of her parents? He cautiously leaned further over the rain gutter to see if he could get a better look. Then the bluenette herself paced beneath the trapdoor in full view, and he grinned widely. Gracefully dropping onto the balcony, he tapped his claws rhythmically on the glass. Marinette unlocked it and he popped his head through, beaming in greeting, “Hello, Purrincess.”

“What are you doing here, Chat?” She looked genuinely surprised to see him again. He shrugged innocently, “I just wanted to check up on you. Can I drop in?” Marinette nodded, taking a step back so he wouldn’t fall on her. She took a seat in her desk chair, picking up a notebook she’d been idly scrawling design ideas in. The black cat she’d let in leaned over her shoulder curiously. She might have been annoyed normally, but she was so tired lately that she couldn’t bring herself to care. “Are you okay, Marinette?” Chat asked in concern, brow furrowed. She sighed and smiled up at him, “Yeah. I just haven’t been sleeping very well. I have all this time now and I should be able to sleep all I want, but I just can’t.” He hummed, frowning, and crouched beside her chair. His hands gripped the armrest, green eyes peaking over the top as his tail swished in thought, “Can I help any?”

Marinette laughed, shaking her head. _Ever the hero_ , she thought, cheeks pinking. Thankfully, it was too dark to notice their change in color. Her hand found itself petting through his hair, scratching behind his left ear and drawing a pleased eye flutter from him, “I don’t think so, kitty. But thanks.” When she drew her hand back, his eyes were nearly shut. They blinked open as the sensation stopped, meeting her tired gaze. “You should try to sleep,” He suggested, voice soft. She sighed, rubbing her eyes, “I have tried, I’m telling you.” Chat narrowed his eyes, tail lashing momentarily before he swiveled her chair to face him. “Well if you’re not going to sleep, mind assisting me in a cat nap?” He rested his head on her lap, fluttering his eyelashes up at her. Marinette blushed, so dark it was visible this time, but didn’t push him off. She swallowed and sighed, forcing an eye roll as if she were annoyed. But he was warm against her legs and his hands were kneading her calves in a way that was sort of mesmerizing.

Marinette wasn’t sure what to do with her hands at first, but they finally settled in his blonde hair, petting and scratching lightly. His eyes closed, a deep hum reverberating from his chest that quickly morphed into a full-on purr. The pigtailed girl giggled, “You can purr?” He peaked an embarrassed eye open, giving her a shy smile, “Uh.. apparently?” She shook her head, leaning back and closing her eyes as her hands continued their caressing. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she recognized that this was a little beyond platonic. Tikki would likely tease her later. But right now, she didn’t care. The soft purring and warmth of his body was quickly lulling her to sleep, and she could tell it would be deeper than she’d had in weeks.

Once Chat was certain she was fast asleep – her hands had fully stopped their precious movements – he very carefully stood and lifted her from the chair. He placed her on the bed and pulled a blanket over her, brushing her bangs out of her face gently. “Good night, Mari,” He whispered, placing a barely-there kiss on her temple. As he turned to jump out the trapdoor, he heard her mumble something that sounded like a slurred, “Stay...” Chat hesitated, then shook his head, answering even if she wasn’t actually awake to hear, “I can’t. I’m sorry.” And then he was gone, bounding back to his own bedroom for a much needed slumber.

* * *

Marinette was tomato red from her hairline all the way down her neck, fists clenched and teeth gritted as she glared at nothing. Tikki was floating off to her left with her arms folded, frowning in disapproval. “I am not in love with Chat Noir,” Marinette repeated for the 50th time in their conversation. Tikki tsk’d and shook her head, “Yes, you are.”

“No!” The miraculous holder insisted, spinning in her chair and clutching handfuls of her pigtails, “I love Adrien! Adrien is my crush. Not that dumb cat.” Her kwami turned away from her, sighing inwardly. “You’re not dating Adrien. What’s wrong with pursuing something with Chat?” Marinette couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She stared incredulously at Tikki’s back, eyes blinking rapidly. “What’s wrong with- Tikki!” She whined, “you’re the one who told me I can never reveal my identity to anyone.” The little red bug glanced over her shoulder, “I never said anything about revealing your identity.” Marinette pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing heavily, “What are you saying, then?” Tikki floated to sit on her mousepad, back feet wiggling as she looked up at her master and sighed, “Marinette, you can’t hide your feelings forever. Your confidence with Adrien obviously isn’t there. But you talk so easily with Chat. Which do you think would be easier on your heart?”

This was ridiculous. Marinette felt cornered, pulling out her last stop, “Chat can’t date a civilian, though. It’s too dangerous, it’d be irresponsible of him.” Her kwami rolled her eyes, “You’re not a civilian.”

“He thinks I am!”

“Just follow your heart,” Tikki almost pleaded, sitting on Marinette’s palm. There wasn’t much else to be discussed. Marinette groaned as she hung her head back, staring at her trapdoor skylight. She imagined she could almost see mischievous green eyes looking back at her.

* * *

The piano notes floated through the huge room, echoing off the mostly bare walls and out the open windows. Sometimes, Adrien just felt like playing. He’d picked a random ballad from one of their many books and was keying away as Plagg twirled and hopped along the mahogany wood. It was a light, playful tune that had them both grinning. When he’d finished, Adrien played a cheeky few extra keys at the end, laughing as his kwami posed and bowed dramatically. “Very good, sir,” Plagg teased. “And you, sir,” Adrien chuckled back, holding out a square of camembert for the tiny feline god. He munched away at it contently, tail flicking. The blonde boy leaned back on his stool, looking towards the open windows. He felt a little better today, having managed to shower and change his bedsheets.

“So,” Plagg eventually drew his attention, licking his lips obnoxiously, “your visit with Marinette went well.” Adrien blushed lightly, rubbing the back of his neck, “Ah, yeah, I think so. I mean, she managed to fall asleep, so that was good.” The destruction kwami tittered and floated around his head, “And you got your ears scratched. I call that a double.” The secret hero blushed deeper, closing his eyes and humming at the memory. Prior to that, he did not know Chat Noir could purr. It was a little embarrassing, but Marinette seemed to like it.

It was past midday now and they had nothing else to do. Not that they ever did these days. Adrien supposed he could do more cleaning, but just the thought of touching anything in his room drained his energy to an alarming degree. He so wished he could go get lunch with Nino, or even just take a walk around the grounds. Unfortunately, his father had put a lot of restrictions on where exactly he could go during this pandemic, on their own property. The sun wouldn’t be setting for another few hours, so a rooftop run was out of the question. That was just asking to be seen. He glanced to his phone, at first considering calling Nino and seeing if he wanted to play more. But then another, better idea crossed his mind. “Uh oh,” Plagg must have noticed his wicked grin, “what are you planning, Kiddo?”

“I’m just gonna see what Marinette’s up to,” He explained innocently, dialing her number and holding the phone excitedly to his ear. After a few rings, she picked up with a surprised and choked stutter of, “A-Adrien?” He leaned against the piano as he greeted, “Hey Mari! I hope you’re not busy. I was just.. you know, bored, and Nino’s not answering his phone.” Marinette felt her throat threaten to close as she forced out, “I-I was your s-se-second choice?” Adrien’s voice was apologetic as he sucked in a breath, “Well, it’s just that you don’t seem very comfortable talking to me, so I normally don’t want to bother you. And, uh.. seems like I might be now, so I can go-“

“No!” Marinette squeaked, “I mean- no. No, you’re not bothering me, I was just sketching.” The blonde boy sighed with relief, leaning both arms on the piano now and staring at the ceiling, “Oh, good. What are you sketching?” The bluenette glanced down at her notebook page covered in little cats. She pursed her lips and lied, “Um, j-just some clothing designs.” Adrien nodded to himself, “Cool.” There was a beat of silence and then Marinette asked sheepishly, “So, uh, are y-you really a fan of Chat Noir?”

Well, this couldn’t have gone a better direction. He silently fist pumped, then cleared his throat before answering, “I mean, yeah. He’s a hero of Paris, after all. Plus, who wouldn’t admire that charm?” Maybe he was laying it on a little thick, but he didn’t give her time to answer before he shot back, “Are _you_ really a fan of Chat Noir?” His voice was teasing, and Marinette nearly crumpled out of her chair and onto the floor because he was obviously referencing the claimed crush Alya started. She forced herself to remain still, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath before she gave her answer. But her shrill voice betrayed her, “No. I mean, he’s just a dumb cat. Besides, I don’t even know him.”

“Yeah, that’s a good point,” Adrien lamented, “how can you like someone you don’t know? Plus, he might be like forty years old and a total creep in his civilian life.” Well, she highly doubted that. Not only did she know him as Marinette, she knew him as Ladybug. She had determined Chat Noir was around her same age some time ago. “Yeah, like who knows?” She agreed just to have something to say. He tittered to himself, _oh, Mari_. They talked a little longer about some of the actual clothing designs she had done. Anything about Adrien’s home life was flippant and curt, with him quickly changing the subject. It wasn’t until Marinette was beckoned away by her parents that they had to say goodbye. “So, I’ll talk to you later?” Adrien asked hopefully. She sputtered and nodded even though he couldn’t see, “Y-Yeah! Definitely! Um, bye!”

Adrien dropped his phone on the stool cushion next to him and sighed happily, stretching his arms behind his head with a pleased hum. He looked to Plagg, who was hovering nearby and waiting for a report. “Cat’s got a mouse,” His green eyes sparkled.

* * *

It was raining heavily. The night was cold, but thankfully his suit kept it out. That didn’t change the fact, however, that he was soaking wet and the rooves were slippery. Chat Noir was bounding towards the bakery balcony, eager to see Marinette’s smile. He miscalculated a jump and slipped, feet flying out from under him with the slick shingles. He yelped, bracing himself for the freezing asphalt beneath him when he felt his ankles lock together. He was yanked in the opposite direction, arms flailing as he craned his neck to see the yo-yo string wrapped around his feet. Even though he landed on his side on a concrete roof, he couldn’t shake the smile from his face. “Ladybug!” He exclaimed happily, taking her offered hand. She helped him to his feet and reeled in her yo-yo. “Hey, Chaton,” Her smile matched his, “what gives? Even with no villains about, I’m still having to save your ass.”

He was too excited to return her teasing, sweeping her up in a tight embrace that made her squawk indignantly. “Oh, I missed you so much!” He laughed, spinning them in circles. Ladybug was surprised, laughing incredulously and waiting for him to put her down before answering, “I missed you, too, Chat. What are you doing out here?” Tikki had informed her that yes, while wearing the suits, they were safe from the virus. She’d wanted to find him immediately but had to wait for the right time. Tonight was as good as any. Chat Noir blinked at her question, rubbing the back of his head, “Oh, uh, well.. I was just bored and my kwami told me that the suit protects against the virus, so..”

 _Not a lie_ , Ladybug thought, hiding a giggle, _but not the whole truth_. It bloomed warmth in her chest to think he was rushing so quickly to Marinette. The rain beat down around them, their vision of each other slightly obscured. Chat briefly thought about continuing on with his task, but it’d been so long since he’d hung out with Ladybug, he couldn’t justify wasting this opportunity! “What are you doing out here?” He asked in return, following her to the next roof where they could hunker down in a concaved doorway. “Same as you,” She answered easily, “I needed to stretch my legs.” They beamed at each other. Ladybug was very aware of the sweet glint in his eyes making her legs feel like jello. But she had to keep it together. Ladybug couldn’t suddenly fall for Chat Noir like that, it would be too suspicious.

She looked out at the rain, spinning her yo-yo idly. “You up for a game, kitty?” She asked him, earning an eager nod. She flicked the bell around his neck as she stepped out from the doorway, tossing her yo-yo off to wrap a flagpole in the distance, “Catch the bug!” She zipped off and he immediately pounced after her, heart soaring with elation. It was so strange, the parallels and differences between loving Ladybug and loving Marinette. Ladybug was exciting and strong, charming and brave; she was admirable as a hero and a partner. He idolized her as much as he adored her. Marinette was soft and sweet, domestic and cozy; she was the living image of affection and compassion. That also made it so hard to decide which he loved more. He didn’t want to have to choose. But his decision was practically made for him since Ladybug was adamant that she did not return his feelings, and Marinette… Marinette did. He knew she did.

Still, Ladybug was a fantastic partner and friend.

She swung between buildings, jumping light poles and chimneys. She briefly paused to check behind her, confused when she didn’t see Chat following her. But then he bowled her off the ledge from the side, vaulting them over to a flat top where they rolled together, giggling. They came to a stop with Chat Noir on top, smirking down at her with that signature kitty playfulness. She was momentarily stunned by his brilliant smile and bright eyes. When she didn’t immediately push him away, his smile faltered, and his head tipped in a very cat-like gesture. “LB?” His voice was hesitant, a question he couldn’t form hanging between them. She shook her head, tapping his nose and guiding him off her, “You’re always so over the top.” He blushed and shrugged, assuming she was talking about his sneak attack.

As they sat next to each other, the rain was deafening in the silence. But it was amicable silence. After a while, Chat looked to his partner hero and asked, “Hey, Ladybug? Can I, uh.. can I ask for some advice?” She looked surprised but nodded anyway, curious. He cleared his throat, rubbing his cheek, “Well.. there’s this girl.. I really, really like her, and I think she likes me, too. But I don’t know how to ask her.” Ladybug was genuinely shocked that he was asking for her advice on dating herself. Well, Marinette. But she had to play this right so he wouldn’t be suspicious, “We’re talking about someone other than me?” He flinched a little, nodding without meeting her gaze, “I-I still love you. But, you know, I… got the message loud and clear that you don’t return it. So I didn’t think there was anything wrong with just.. seeing how it would go with someone else.”

 _Oh, poor kitty_.

Ladybug nodded slowly, looking off over the houses around them, “Okay. Well, what’s wrong with just approaching her?” Chat tapped his claws on the roof beneath them, “Um.. because she’s a civilian who only knows me as Chat Noir.” There it was. He knew dating a civilian would be dangerous and he was still even entertaining the thought. She wanted to judge him. She wanted to tell him that it was a terrible idea. The problem was, _she_ was the civilian. And she – Marinette – thought it was an absolutely fantastic idea, “You’re sure she likes you for you and not just for being Chat Noir?” He didn’t hesitate to nod, “I’m sure. She’s not like that.” Ladybug pursed her lips, raising a teasing eyebrow as she asked, “Exactly how much time have you spent with this girl to know her so well? If she only knows you as Chat, you’ve hardly spent civilian time with her.” He froze, ear twitching and tail curling around his legs, “Um.. well.. I-I visit her at her house..” _And I know her in civilian life_.

“Scandalous,” Ladybug tsk’d, shaking her head. He pouted, earning a chuckle from the bug beside him. “Chat Noir, are you asking for my blessing in you dating this mystery girl?” She teased. He fumbled for the right words as he explained, “I-I think so, but not as someone I’ve had a crush on. I’m asking... as a fellow superhero with a secret identity. And as a friend.” Ladybug pursed her lips. This was it. Her opportunity to squash this lovebug (so to speak) at the source. Or to commit to admitting her feelings for Chat Noir in the very foreseeable future. She could see it being very difficult to act like she didn’t love him as Ladybug if she were dating him as Marinette. Tikki’s words bounced around her head, and she stood, looking to the sky. When she looked back down at him, it was with the softest smile he’d ever seen her wear.

“I think you should follow your heart,” She said.

* * *

The day had started out with great plans. Adrien had ordered a modest bouquet of wooden roses to be express delivered to him that afternoon. He would take them and a golden thimble he’d lifted from one of his tailors to Marinette’s house, Chat Noir would suavely confess his attraction, and hopefully she’d accept his invitation of romance. He was a little worried about being able to act normal around her as Adrien if she said yes, but he’d vault that bridge when he came to it. However, his good mood and confidence were unexpectedly shattered by lunch time.

His father – Gabriel Agreste – had been absent almost the entire quarantine. That wasn’t unusual in and of itself, but the fact that he hadn’t even tried to communicate through Nathalie was irking. Adrien had tried to get a message to him multiple times, and each time, Nathalie sorrowfully expressed that Mr. Agreste was not taking any messages from anyone until the lockdown was over. “Not even his own son?” Adrien argued, but his assistant only shook her head sadly. “I’m sorry, sir,” Nathalie said. Her sympathetic frown was too much sometimes.

On this particular day, Adrien was humming to himself and munching away at a meal he’d had delivered. The chefs weren’t working during quarantine. Honestly, he was totally fine with that because it meant his diet wasn’t restricted anymore. If he wanted a greasy sandwich, he ordered a greasy sandwich; if he wanted pastries or candies, he ordered them. And since his father wasn’t paying attention to him, nobody said anything against it. However, as he was going over tonight’s plans in his head, the door to the dining hall opened. He expected Nathalie, and automatically smiled. His face fell when his father stepped through the door. “Dad?” Adrien asked uncertainly, confused. His father looked him up and down, scrutinized his lunch with a cocked eyebrow, and then said robotically, “I see you aren’t keeping up your dietary regulations.”

The blonde boy rolled his eyes subtly, putting his sandwich down and standing beside the table, “No, you told the chefs to go home for quarantine. Remember?” Gabriel Agreste hummed deep in his throat, hands clasped behind his back and gaze sweeping the room, “Surely there are better things for me to be paying for than... that.”

“Only certain places are still open, Dad,” Adrien gave in way of explanation. It was true, very few restaurants were still open during lockdown, but were there healthier ones? Probably. But he didn’t care, he got enough exercise running around as Chat Noir to justify fast food meals. His father didn’t say anything more to it. He stared at Adrien for an uncomfortable few seconds, then turned and headed for the door once more. “What- that’s it?” Adrien protested, bumping into the table as he hurried around it, “you came in here just to judge my lunch? I haven’t seen you in a month and a half!” Gabriel paused at the door, glanced to his son over his shoulder, and then continued out. It shut slowly behind him. “Dad!” Adrien growled desperately, slamming his fist on the table.

Plagg peaked out from where he’d been hiding under the table, making sure the coast was clear before floating over to his holder. “Kiddo?” He asked carefully, reaching a stubby arm out to the boy. Adrien turned and kicked a chair across the room, his eyes threatening to spill as his hands clenched and shook. He abandoned his meal to stomp angrily back to his room, ignoring the kwami chasing after him. He slammed his door hard, pacing around with fuming breaths. “I’m just some trophy to him, Plagg. He doesn’t care about me except as his centerpiece!” Adrien tugged at his hair and squeezed his eyes shut, sitting on the edge of his bed. His leg shook restlessly.

Plagg frowned deeply, settling on his still knee and staring up at him sympathetically. “I’m sorry, Adrien,” He pouted, “do you need to go for a run?” Adrien’s eyes snapped open, staring through his open window. Yes, he needed to go for a run. Plagg didn’t fight the transformation, and the next second, Chat Noir was leaping out the open window and recklessly gallivanting in broad daylight. He already had a destination in mind.

Marinette was on video call with Alya, sitting at her desk with a plate of cookies that Tikki was happily sampling off camera. Her best friend was going on about something Marinette wasn’t totally paying attention to; something about Nino, probably, or the Ladyblog. Suddenly, they both heard an insistent rapping on her trapdoor. The bluenette froze, back stiff as Alya asked, “Who in the hell is knocking on your roof?”

“Uh-“ Marinette didn’t have time to offer an excuse as she heard the unmistakable sound of the latch clicking. _He used his claws, that resourceful, mangy cat_! “I gotta go, Alya!” Her voice was shrill as she scrambled to close the laptop just as Chat Noir dropped into her bedroom. “What the hell, Chat?” She glared at him out of the corner of her eye, “you couldn’t wait two seconds? And it’s the middle of the day! What if somebody saw you?” When she finally turned to him, she noticed he was sitting on the floor beside her chaise, legs pulled up to his chest and arms wrapped around them. Only his eyes were visible, narrowed to slits as his tail thumped the ground irritably. Not exactly what she was expecting.

Marinette knelt on the ground beside him, cautiously reaching out a hand to set on his shoulder, “Chat Noir? What’s wrong?” He took a deep, shaking breath at her touch, squeezing his eyes shut and turning his head away. He couldn’t talk about it to her, and really didn’t want to, he just needed to be with someone and not alone. This was the second time she’d seen him in a way that ruined the superhero persona he was supposed to flaunt. Just like her, he was a real person behind that mask; a real person with problems. She wasn’t sure what to do, glancing around her room for something. She spotted the plate of cookies (Tikki had thankfully abandoned them to hide) and quickly retrieved it from her desk. She held the plate between them, taking one for herself and crunching loudly to draw his attention.

Chat’s ears twitched at the sound, his head turning just enough to see what she was eating. He slowly unfolded himself, carefully taking a cookie and nibbling it. Marinette scooted closer to him, bumping their shoulders together wordlessly. That proved too much for him because he whimpered and dropped his head on her shoulder, tears pricking his eyes. “Oh, kitty,” She mumbled, setting the plate aside and turning to embrace him in what she hoped was a gesture of comfort. He curled into her, hiding his face against her neck and clinging to her shirt with a raspy sob. “Okay, it’s okay,” Marinette couldn’t imagine what would possibly make him this upset, a deep frown settling on her features, “you’re alright. I’ve got you.” It almost made her angry to see him in such distress. If she were able to become Ladybug, she might have had the inclination to hunt down whatever cruel soul did this to her Chaton.

After a few minutes, Chat pulled back to wipe at his eyes, sniffling. “Sorry,” He muttered, avoiding her gaze. “No, it’s okay,” Marinette assured him, putting a hand on his, “but maybe wait for me to open the door next time.” He gave her a faint, sheepish smile. Marinette stood, offering her hand to him kindly. She led him to the bed, gesturing for him to sit down while she glanced to her laptop. She hadn’t ended the call, meaning Alya could still be waiting. It had happened many a time before. She sat down at her desk and angled the laptop away from Chat, telling him, “Don’t say anything, okay? Just stay there.”

She took a deep breath and opened the laptop to be bombarded with Alya’s voice, “Girl, what was that all about? Spill, now.” Marinette rubbed her neck, “Uh, just.. a bird pecking at the trapdoor. I had to shoo it away.” Alya did not look impressed, “A bird, huh? Not a cat?” Marinette’s face paled and she cleared her throat, stupidly glancing at Chat Noir. “A c-cat?” She stammered, “Why-why would there be a cat? That’s silly, Alya. I mean, h-how would a cat get on my roof?” Her friend didn’t miss her glance, a smirk spreading across her face, “Well, I guess you wouldn’t mind giving me a tour of your bedroom, then? It’s been so long since I’ve been there, I feel like I’ve forgotten what it looks like.” Marinette’s eye twitched and Chat hid a giggle behind his hand. He slunk off the bed and crouched on the floor, sitting at the bluenette’s feet and winking up at her. She pursed her lips, then picked up the laptop and very slowly spun around her room. Chat was safely out of sight beside her chair.

“See?” She said in an ‘I told you so’ voice as she put the laptop down, “No cat.” She could tell Alya was still suspicious, but her red haired friend just sighed, “Fine. I’ll let it go for now. But you’re up to something.”

“Bye, Alya,” Marinette chuckled, ending the call. “She seemed nice,” Chat commented, peaking his head over the desk. Marinette sighed dramatically and scratched behind his ear, shaking her head, “Sometimes you’re more stress than you’re worth.” The smile he wore didn’t reach his eyes as he shrugged and said, “Sorry.” She tsk’d and got up from her chair, sliding the laptop to the end of her desk and setting it up to be viewed from the bed. “Come here, silly kitty,” She beckoned him, patting the spot in front of her. Chat climbed onto the bed and laid down on his side, back to Marinette and face towards the screen. “I’ll be right back, okay? Pick something for us to watch,” She rubbed his shoulder briefly, then got up to disappear downstairs.

While she was gone, Chat debated if today was really a good day to confess his feelings for her. Probably not, considering he’d been literally crying on her shoulder not five minutes ago, and she might chalk it up to him being emotional. No, he needed it to be when he had a calmer head. Besides, he hadn’t brought her gifts with him. He found some generic feel-good movie and waited for her return. He smelled the popcorn before he saw it, mouth already salivating. “I was just really craving popcorn,” He heard Marinette say, probably to one of her parents. There was chuckling and an exchange he couldn’t make out before she reappeared with a big bucket of buttery popcorn. The excitement must have shown on his face because she laughed when she saw him.

She settled back in her previous spot, handing him the bucket to hold and grabbing her sketchbook. As he watched the laptop screen, she doodled some outfit designs she’d been thinking about, often pausing to pet his hair or take a handful of popcorn for herself. His mood was rising with every passing minute, both from the movie and her attentiveness, which rewarded her happy purring. Eventually, she noticed him stabbing bits of popcorn onto the ends of his claws and eating them one by one, then stabbing more. She snorted, drawing his attention. Chat smiled up at her widely, winking as he ate a piece off his index finger.

Marinette didn’t know what came over her. She gently gripped his wrist and brought his hand towards her mouth, plucking a popcorn piece off his pinky finger with her teeth. He stared at her, green eyes wide as saucers. She giggled and winked back, blushing deeply. He flushed pink and puffed out his cheeks, shaking his head and looking away from her with a nervous chuckle.

After a while, the cozy atmosphere started to go to Marinette’s head. She had already yawned six times before she decided a nap wouldn’t hurt. Setting her sketchbook aside, she reached for the blanket at the foot of her bed and drew it up over herself. She settled down behind her guest and drew her fingers through his hair, humming softly. “Marinette?” He asked, glancing over his shoulder at her. “Sleepy,” She said through another yawn. He grunted in acknowledgement and turned back to the laptop screen. He was distracted once again when her fingers started trailing up and down his back. He swallowed and resisted the urge to turn and look at her again. Besides, the action was soothing. Before long, his eyes and ears were drooping drowsily. He didn’t realize until just then how emotionally exhausted he was. Marinette’s room was warm and comforting, her hands even more so as they ruffled his hair and played with his ears. He sighed, content with this situation, and allowed his eyes to fall closed.

* * *

Marinette woke some hours later to rhythmic buzzing. During their nap, she’d somehow managed to throw half the blanket over Chat Noir’s legs and curl up against his back. She could feel his tail wrapped around her calf, the steady rise and fall of his ribcage suggesting he was still asleep. One of her arms was thrown over his waist, and she drew it back carefully so as not to disturb him. It took her a moment to realize the buzzing was coming from her phone, which was on her desk. She hesitated because she didn’t want to wake Chat, but she needed to answer her phone. Very carefully, she sat up as much as she could and leaned over him to grab her cell, sighing in relief when she laid back and he hadn’t moved.

Alya’s contact lit up her screen. She took a breath through her nose, then answered it, turning the call volume down just in case. “Hey, Alya,” She said quietly, smiling. “Hey, girl!” Alya greeted her cheerfully, “Glad you picked up this time. I tried to call you an hour ago and it went to voicemail. I was a little worried.”

“Oh, I-I took a nap,” Marinette bit her lip, glancing to the sleeping black cat next to her. “Why are you whispering?” She could hear the eyebrow raise in her friend’s voice. “Uh, still waking up, I guess,” It was almost a question. “Well, you better hurry up because we’re gonna jump in a video call with Nino and Adrien in a few minutes!” Marinette sat up quickly, voice a little louder than she meant when she asked, “Wh-what? I mean- we are? Alya-“

Char Noir stirred next to her, rolling onto his back and stretching his arms above his head. “Marinette?” He sniffed, blinking his eyes open. She was momentarily distracted by his ruffled bedhead and sleepy gaze, “Uuuuhhh… oh! Alya, I can’t right now.” Her friend clearly disapproved, “Why not? You need more social interaction. Besides, your nap is gonna keep you up all night again, anyway. Do you even know what time it is?” She shook her head even though Alya couldn’t see, briefly checking the clock. 10 pm. “Oh,” She said lamely, earning a laugh from her friend. “yeah, oh,” Alya clucked her tongue, “You better be ready in 10 minutes. I’m calling whether you like it or not.”

She hung up and Marinette groaned, flopping back onto her bed. Chat Noir was sitting up now, looking amused. He’d untangled his tail from her leg, swishing it idly. “My friends want to video call,” She gave him an apologetic pout. He laughed, taking her hand and kissing the back of it, “No problem. Uh, thank you.. for today..” He rubbed the back of his neck and she blushed lightly, nodding. The hero stood and stretched, back muscles flexing in full view. Marinette pursed her lips and forced her eyes elsewhere, blush worsening. “I’ll see you soon?” Chat asked, reaching up to open the trapdoor on her ceiling. “Y-Yeah,” She confirmed, smiling, “see you soon.”

He jumped up on the roof, but before he could take off, she called, “Wait! Chat!” He poked his head down through the door curiously, not expecting her to lean up on her toes and kiss his cheek. He froze, eyes wide and ears strained forward. Her hands smoothed over his blonde locks, rubbing both his ears for just a second before she stepped back and muttered, “Feel better, okay?” All he could manage was a strangled whimper. She laughed and pushed his face out the door, locking it behind him.

* * *

“You look… happy,” Alya commented as Marinette joined their call. The bluenette was grinning, her face still a little pink the more she ran the cheek kiss over in her head. “I had a good nap,” Marinette giggled, not lying in the least. Nino scoffed lightly, “Yeah, a really good nap. You dream about a certain green-eyed crush of yours?”

“His eyes are _very_ green,” She said without thinking, cupping her cheeks and leaning back in her desk chair. Alya and Nino exchanged looks.

Adrien landed on his windowsill with a dreamy sigh, stepping into his room as his transformation fell away. Plagg twirled in front of him excitedly, “She’s head over heels for you, Kiddo! You ever seen Marinette so relaxed?” He hadn’t. She was never that relaxed around Adrien, she was always tense and stuttering. But not around Chat Noir. He put a hand to his cheek, the ghost of her lips still lingering there. His legs were weak. Then he noticed the call tone drifting quietly through the air, muffled because his headset was still plugged in. _Oh right_ , he practically skipped over to sit at his desk, slipping on the Chat Noir headset as he hit accept. “Hey guys,” He greeted, beaming. “Wow, the good mood is contagious,” Alya commented, still watching Marinette swooning at nothing in her digital box. It was all Adrien could do not to blush and mirror her expression. “What’s got you so cheery, Mari?” he asked, using all his effort to keep the teasing tone out of his voice. She startled at his voice, blushing in embarrassment and rubbing her arm, “O-Oh, I just- uh, really nap good. I mean- nap really good- I mean! Uh, yeah.. good nap..” She rubbed the back of her head and he chuckled, finding her stuttering absolutely adorable.

“Marinette,” Alya drew their attention, the tone in her voice dangerously smug, “this wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain black cat that landed on your roof earlier... would it?” Nino laughed as Marinette’s face paled and she struggled to answer, “B-But, I told you th-there was no cat, I-I showed you my room! Remember?” Her best friend cracked her knuckles, making a show of typing away before her face cam was replaced with her sharing her screen to the group. “You forget, honey,” She tittered, clearly pleased with herself, “that I am Lady Wifi.”

In her browser window was a live feed of several destinations around Paris, probably from the city security cameras. On the side of the live feed were folders of archived recordings. “Let’s see, this is from last week,” Alya explained as she navigated the folders. She clicked one of the night recordings. It was pointed directly at Marinette’s balcony. The bluenette paled, jaw dropping. Adrien had to fight off a blush, coughing and taking a sip of water from an old bottle on his desk. The feed showed Marinette sketching away innocently, which Alya sped up. Then she played it real time as the recorded Marinette nearly jumped out of her chair, staring at something that couldn’t be seen from this camera angle. There was no sound, but Marinette heard the words in her head as she saw her mouth moving.

A few seconds later, Chat Noir jumped onto her roof and was looking down at her with the clearly playful posture that suggested he knew her as more than a just civilian he’d saved before. “A-Alya,” Marinette protested as her past-self disappeared through the trapdoor, Chat following her eagerly. “This was a few nights ago,” The red headed continued, smirk growing by the minute. The second clip was of Chat Noir leaping onto her roof, hesitating as if he were watching for her, then dropping onto the balcony to knock. After he disappeared into her room, Alya swapped to a different folder. “And this was a few hours ago,” Her voice was almost triumphant, as if she were successfully proving a point.

This time, Chat Noir landed directly on her balcony, wasting no time in knocking and then seamlessly entertaining her room. Marinette was hiding her face, already embarrassed beyond saving, when Alya said, “But that’s not all! _This_ was barely thirty minutes ago!” Adrien had to look away because he knew what it was. He rubbed his forehead, muttering something about refilling his water bottle before getting up. Marinette watched the screen curiously through her fingers, still red as a tomato. Chat Noir jumped up through the trapdoor, glancing behind him, down at what she presumed was her voice. He knelt down, poked his head through the hole, and his posture stiffened in surprise.

 _The kiss_ , Marinette thought to herself, watching her Chaton’s tail flick excitedly. He was pushed out the door, stayed still for a moment, then popped to his feet and fist pumped the air. It looked like he was laughing, twirling in a circle before climbing up on the roof and bounding out of sight. “So,” Alya stopped screen sharing, her face close to her webcam as she addressed her friend, “you still going to deny that there was a cat on your roof?”

Marinette was silent, staring at the screen with no recognition that she actually saw what was on it. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, then she took a deep breath and forced out, “Okay, yes. Chat Noir visits me sometimes. But I mean, he’s just bored from quarantine! Th-that doesn’t… mean anything…”

Adrien sat back down with a full water bottle just as Nino said, “For serious, Marinette, you can talk about it with us. We’re your friends.” Alya nodded in agreement, “yeah. Come on, girl, you must be dying to gush. I know you.” _Gush_? Adrien tipped his head curiously, leaning on his elbow as he sipped his water. Marinette’s eyes flicked between all of them, her cheeks a pretty pink and top teeth worrying her lip. She tapped her fingers on her desk, then let out a little squeal as a huge grin broke over her face, “Okay, okay! Yeah, I.. I _totally_ have a thing for Chat Noir. He’s just so- so charming and sweet. I mean, have you seen his eyes? And ears? They’re so expressive! And he likes when I scratch them. And he purrs, I can’t get over that he purrs! He’s so adorable, sometimes I can’t deal with it.”

Alya and Nino were laughing, but Adrien was dark crimson, hiding his face by making it look like he dropped something under his desk. “This is so juicy, my best friend ogling over one of Paris’ superheroes,” Alya commented playfully. Nino asked, “What’s he like in person?” Marinette shook her head, cupping her cheeks in her hands and swooning, “He’s.. so normal. Incredibly normal, and yet somehow so beyond anything I’ve ever dreamed of..! He likes pastries and rock music, he likes my clothing designs, he’s very punny, I just.. Haa..” She trailed off with a sigh.

Adrien had to take several deep breaths before he could reemerge from under his desk, only for Alya to say, “Sounds like you’re a match made in heaven. Too bad you don’t know his civilian identity.” The blonde boy dropped his head on his desk with a loud bang, biting his lip to try and fight his grin. When he looked back at the screen, they were all staring at him. “Uh,” He stared back for a moment, then cleared his throat and said, “I should probably go. It’s pretty late and uh, I haven’t been getting to sleep very easily, so I should start now. But um, that’s really great, Marinette, that y-you found something with Chat Noir. I hope he likes you just as much as you apparently like him.” _Of course he does_.

She shrugged cutely and ducked her head, giggling as she gushed, “He calls me purr-incess.” Alya threw her head back and cackled, Nino scoffing in amusement and shaking his head. Adrien bit his lip, doing his best to keep his blush down, “O-Oh, well that’s.. good! Uh.. bye!” He hung up quickly. Plagg floated over, cackling, “You should’ve seen your face! Oh, that was priceless! She’s so madly in love with you, it’s sickening!” Adrien sighed and rubbed his forehead, chuckling, “Yeah.. I just wish I could tell her it was me, you know?”

“Why can’t you?” Plagg asked nonchalantly, zipping over to his cheese stash. Adrien furrowed his brow, “What? You’re the one who told me I can’t. I’m not supposed to tell anyone, remember?” The kwami rolled his head from side to side, “Well, yeah, but that was before. It was more like.. getting you used to the idea that you need to keep it a secret, yuh know?” Adrien stared at him, dumbfounded, “Are you kidding me? Wouldn’t it put her in danger if she knew? And besides, she just told Alya and Nino that she likes Chat Noir, I can’t just roll up with that information now. If she and I started dating instead, don’t you think that would look suspicious?”

His kwami sighed and tossed a slice of cheese in his mouth, “Okay, okay, calm down. It was just a suggestion.”

“A terrible suggestion,” The miraculous holder chastised, lying out on his bed, “seriously, is Ladybug’s kwami as bad of an influence as you?” Plagg blew a whisker out of his face, “Tikki? No way, she’s a goodie-two-shoes. I’m way cooler.” Adrien shook his head in disbelief.

* * *

“For the record,” Tikki’s voice chimed from where she sat on her holder’s pillow, “I never said you couldn’t reveal your identity to Chat Noir.” Marinette jolted and the thread in her sewing machine caught in a knot. She cursed under her breath, detaching the garment she was working on before turning to face her kwami, “What?” They stared at each other for a moment, then Marinette stammered, “B-But you said I couldn’t reveal it to _anyone_.”

“Right,” Tikki nodded her head as if she’d just said that, “you can’t reveal it to just anyone. But Chat Noir isn’t just anyone.” Marinette leaned back in her chair, at a loss for words. Was Tikki _encouraging her_ to reveal her identity? “But Tikki,” She rung her hands together, “what if he thinks differently of me?” The red bug floated up from her cushion seat and hovered near her holder’s face, “He already loves both sides of you. Marinette and Ladybug. Think of how happy he’d be not to be torn in two anymore.” Marinette could relate to that. She was still a little conflicted over Adrien, but she didn’t regret deciding to feel out the relationship with Chat.

Ever since his visit the other day, she couldn’t stop thinking about the way his ears twitched when she scratched them, the look on his face when she kissed his cheek, the soft purring that was apparently just for her. She sighed dreamily, shoulders scrunched. Tikki shook her head, smiling in amusement, “Marinette. Earth to Marinette! Hello!” She flew in circles around her master’s head until the bluenette blinked rapidly and snapped out of it. “Huh? Oh,” She blushed deeply, “sorry.”

The small, red kwami giggled and settled on Marinett’es shoulder, “Don’t worry. I’m certain he’s fawning over you just as hard.”

* * *

Fawning he was. There wasn’t a second of his day he didn’t think about Marinette; her blue eyes, her bright smile, her beautiful laugh. He wanted to be with her constantly, using every ounce of self-control he had not to transform first thing in the morning, or right after lunch, or around dinner. He needed to be patient.

But it was so difficult! Which was partly because he also had to refrain from contacting her too much as Adrien. He risked blowing his cover every time he heard her sweet voice or saw her blushing face. It didn’t help that Alya and Nino seemed very adamant on video calls every few days. He got that it made them feel better, and he would never deny them that, but- man! Any time Marinette mentioned Chat Noir or Alya pushed for more ‘deets’, he had to get up from his chair to keep them from seeing his blush. He was running out of excuses for it and was sure at least one of them would notice soon.

Most likely Alya because that seemed fitting.

Truth was Adrien was nervous about visiting Marinette again. After the cheek kiss, he was certain she returned his affections, but that somehow made it harder to buck up the courage to ask her out. Not to mention, he’d been really thinking about it lately, and dating Chat Noir almost sounded… boring. Sure, during quarantine, it was fine that they stay secluded in her room. They weren’t _supposed_ to go anywhere. But what about after? He couldn’t take her on dates as Chat Noir, it was too risky. There were only so many rooftop dinners he could arrange before that inevitably got repetitive. And trying to get her to fall for Adrien sounded weird and almost manipulative. Besides, there was no way they were even close to the same league. Adrien was awkward and socially incapable; a newly emerged hermit with little to no idea how the real world worked. That was besides the fact that he had to keep up an image for his father and wasn’t allowed to be himself in the public eye.

No, there was absolutely no way Marinette would turn Chat Noir down for Adrien Agreste. _He_ certainly wouldn’t. He was his own competition and that both stung and eased him. Maybe it was better that it was Chat Marinette liked, anyway. He could really be himself when he was suited up, so he didn’t have to hide anything from her (besides the obvious) or act a certain way for his reputation’s sake. Still, confessing to her was a hurtle he didn’t know if he could clear yet. He glanced to his clock, then his open window, wondering if sunset was late enough for his next visit.

* * *

Alya had been demanding a video call every night. Marinette knew she was probably hoping to catch her and Chat Noir cavorting about together. Thankfully, he hadn’t come to see her during a call yet. Well, she used ‘thankfully’ as a loose term because she really missed him dearly and _wanted_ him to visit, she just also dreaded Alya’s teasing.

It seemed tonight her luck would run out - or maybe the opposite – because while she was discussing a commission with her bestie, she heard a scratching on her roof. He’d never done that before, usually he knocked or tapped the glass. Something about the playfulness of him scratching at her door sent a shiver straight up her spine, which she had to hide for Alya’s sake. “Um, hey Alya,” She interrupted whatever Alya was saying to point to her ceiling, “will you excuse me for one second?”

“No way,” The red head’s smirk was blinding, “girl, you better invite him in! I wanna meet him!” Marinette panicked a little at the thought, “A-Alya, he doesn’t even know you know.” He scratched louder, causing her to blush and mumble another excuse as she got up to unlock the trapdoor. Before he could enter, she poked her head up through it, expecting him to be crouched or standing and waiting for her. Instead, she came face to face with dazzling green eyes, round as marbles. Their faces were so close, their noses brushed, and she sucked in a sharp, surprised breath. “Uh..” Chat Noir blinked at her, left ear twitching, “hey, Purr-incess. Can I.. come in?”

It took an obnoxious number of seconds for her brain to kick back on. She blushed deeply and leaned back a little, nervously stammering, “y-yeah, of course, Chat, but.. um, I-I have a friend on video call.. the one from the other day, a-and she may have figured us out and now she wants to meet you..” His head tilted curiously, a mischievous, toothy grin splitting his charming features. “Is there an us, Marinette?” She blinked, back ramrod straight. Then she dissolved into a sputtering mess, unable to get any words out, stuttered or otherwise, as she dropped back into her room. He followed her, giggling.

Alya was watching expectantly as Marinette stood off to the side, rubbing her arm nervously. “Um, Chat, this is Alya,” She gestured to the laptop screen, “Alya, this is.. Chat Noir..” It seemed redundant to introduce him, but he looked amused. “The Ladyblog, right?” He waved to her friend as he sat down in the desk chair. Alya nodded with the biggest smile, “Yes! Do you read it?”

“From time to time,” He admitted, rubbing the back of his neck, “some really interesting work you do. I like it better than the general press.” The only time Marinette had ever seen Alya happier was when she interviewed Ladybug. “You know this can’t go on there, right?” Chat explained gently, still referring to the blog, “you’d be putting yourself and Marinette in danger.” Alya groaned but held up a fervent hand, “I know, trust me. While I so wish I could get the scoop on this, I won’t do that to you or Mari.” He smiled gratefully, looking to the bluenette herself, “Well, then I don’t see anything wrong with her knowing.”

Marinette almost wished she could melt through the floor, avoiding the soft look he was giving her because she knew she wouldn’t be able to stay where she was standing. She so wanted to touch him; play with his ears and scratch under his chin, hear his sweet purring again. And he wanted that, too. He glanced back to Alya, leaning forward towards the end button, “You don’t mind, do you?”

“Not at all,” Alya’s voice was too syrupy for her own good, “you two have fun.” He chuckled and blushed lightly, hanging up and closing the laptop. He turned the chair towards Marinette, but she was already on him before he could say anything. “Oh, kitty, I missed you so much,” He heard her say, one of her hands cupping his cheek and the other tenderly rubbing his ear. His eyes fluttered closed, a dopey grin on his face as the purring kicked in full force. _That’s what I wanted_ , she giggled to herself, biting her lip. “I-I missed you, too, Purr-incess,” His voice was like liquid, falling from his lips in an uncontrolled way that clearly gave up just how much he liked the attention.

Marinette wanted to be closer, climbing onto his lap and kissing into his hair, both hands petting his scalp and scratching around his ears now. His hands automatically went to her waist, kneading involuntarily as his purring grew louder and higher in pitch. He was jello beneath her, unused to affection of _any kind_ , but especially not this. If she hadn’t been sitting on him, he might’ve fallen out of the chair. “Such a good kitty,” She cooed, kissing his right ear. “Ma-Marinette..” He tried to open his eyes, forehead resting on her shoulder. This was so much all at once of something he’d never had. If he thought he’d fallen for her before, there was no way he could let her go now. Ladybug was but a distant memory in that moment, all his feline senses filled with soft, sweet, _Marinette_.

He needed to tell her.

It took an almost painful amount of effort to remove her hands from his hair, grasping them in both of his as he raised his head to meet her gaze. He had to take a couple breaths to steady his voice before saying, “Marinette, I have to tell you something.” Her blush matched his in intensity, blue eyes meeting his shyly. “What?” She asked, fingers grasping back. He bit his lip, “I.. um.. I-I really.. like you, and I was hoping that.. maybe, we could be.. you know.. we could be-“

She cut him off by rubbing their noses together, giggling, “Yes, Chat.”

“Really?” He was almost disbelieving even though he’d already known she would say yes, “even though you don’t know who I am?” She rolled her eyes, caressing his cheek and drawing him ever closer, “Chat Noir, I would love you no matter who you are under that mask.” _Love_. She loved him? Did he love her? Did he know what love was? He loved Ladybug, but Ladybug never made him feel like _this_. More importantly, would she still be saying that if she knew he was Adrien Agreste? “You don’t believe me,” Marinette’s voice brought him back to surface level. He bit his lip, “I’m sorry.. I just have a lot of insecurities about my civilian self, I guess. I don’t think you’d like him the same as Chat Noir…”

Marinette was almost offended by that, but she understood his worry. Before her interactions with Chat out of suit, she’d also been afraid he wouldn’t like her as much. Marinette wasn’t as cool or brave as Ladybug, after all. Still, she loved him and that wouldn’t change just because he took the mask off, right? She almost wanted to ask for a hint. Maybe she knew him in everyday life and that’s why he seemed so certain. Maybe Ladybug should reveal her identity and maybe he’d return the favor.

 _Tikki said he’s not just anyone_.

The more lost in his thought he got, the more his face fell. Marinette didn’t like seeing him unhappy, especially because of this. She leaned forward and nuzzled his face, earning a surprised, very cat-like chirp that had her giggling. “You’re so cute, kitty,” She praised him, cupping his cheeks and kissing the end of his nose. His green eyes fluttered behind the mask, lips parting as if to say something but no words came out. At his stunned expression, she giggled and scratched his ear, “pawsitively adorable.” He couldn’t control the laugh he let out, covering his mouth in embarrassment as his shoulders shook. “Did you just pun at me?” He batted his eyelashes. “Isn’t that your love language?” She teased back. He chuckled, shrugging, “Probably.”

Then Marinette yawned, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. “Tired?” Chat asked considerately, his tail swishing along her floor. She nodded, sliding off his lap to sit on her bed. “Time for me to go?” He stood from the chair, legs still a little wobbly but they held him. She sighed dramatically, “You could stay if you wanted, you know.” Oh, he wanted. But staying overnight was too risky. It was one thing to nap during the day but being gone for that long was just asking for someone to notice his absence back home. He shook his head apologetically, “Sorry, Purr-incess. Too risky.” She gave him a pout, which he laughed at, kissing her forehead and then climbing up to her roof. He saluted down to her before leaping away across the rooftops.

* * *

As Adrien jumped through his window, he looked back over his shoulder towards Marinette’s house. His skin still tingled from her pets, his body shivering as he sighed happily. He dropped transformation and looked to Plagg, the kwami floating beside him in the moonlight. “Before you know it, she’s gonna adopt you,” He snickered, immediately looking around for his camembert. A loud clang drew their attention. Adrien whipped around to see Nathalie standing in his doorway, a tray of pastries scattering the floor around her. Her mouth was hanging open, looking like she’d seen a ghost.

“N-Nathalie,” He stammered nervously, realizing what she must have seen. It was pretty late for her to be checking on him, he didn’t think this would be a problem. He was evidently wrong. She looked like she might faint, so he thought quickly and rushed to drag her over to a chair. Her legs buckled as she held eye contact with him, mouth working like she wanted to talk but couldn’t think of what to say. “I-It’s okay,” He tried to soothe her, “I know this must be… shocking.” She shook her head in disbelief, managing to choke out, “Adrien, you’re-.. shocking is a significant understatement!”

“Nathalie, you can’t tell anyone,” he said firmly, grabbing her shoulders and giving her a little shake to snap her to attention. Speechless as she was, she didn’t hesitate to nod in understanding. He glanced to the pastries, furrowing his brow in question. “I brought them to cheer you up. I was worried about you,” She gave in explanation, thankful for the slight change in topic, “you haven’t been out of your room much in the past month, and I know it’s been hard since you can’t visit your friends.” Her eyes flicked to the window as she corrected, “Er.. maybe you can visit _one_..” He logically assumed she meant Ladybug.

He didn’t think she realized how much her concern meant to him. Before his eyes could tear up, he gave her a tight hug, squeezing a surprised breath out of her. “Thank you,” He muttered, pulling back and beaming at her. She smiled in return, but her gaze was conflicted. She looked to the window again as she asked, “How.. how do I proceed with this information? I know I can’t speak of it.“ Adrien raised a hand to answer, then paused and dropped it again, “I have no idea. You’re the only person who’s ever found out.”

“We should try to keep it that way, I think,” Nathalie recommended, standing to pick up the pastries she’d dropped. “Yeah,” Adrien chuckled, rubbing his neck, “good plan, let’s do that.” His assistant glanced over her shoulder at him, raising an eyebrow, “Do you leave every night?” He shook his head, helping her with the last few pastries, “Not every night. Just nights when I feel really cooped up. Sometimes I gotta let the cat outa the bag, you know?” His grin showed that he was stupidly proud of himself. She closed her eyes in a mixture of disappointment and amusement, taking a breath through her nose and deciding to ignore his pun as she bid him good night.

Adrien looked around for Plagg, finding the kwami sitting on his cheese stash. “Not exactly a smooth reveal,” The little god commented with full cheeks. His holder rolled his eyes, “You don’t say.”

* * *

Marinette was sitting at her desk with her sewing machine in front of her, a new bolt of fabric off to the side and part of a shirt already pinned and ready for stitching. She fidgeted with the cloth, hesitating in sliding it under the foot. She just didn’t feel in the mood for sewing, her mind was too distracted with her kitty. Would he visit her tonight? He hadn’t shown up the night before, but she couldn’t exactly fault him. Disappearing from his home every night was bound to draw suspicion eventually. It was just so hard to be patient! She didn’t even have a way to contact him, short of becoming Ladybug. She was still debating on how she would do the big reveal, or if she was going to. Admittedly, the hope that Chat Noir would reveal his identity back was what was drawing her towards yes. She had the feeling she knew him in her civilian life and her brain was spiraling trying to think of who he could possibly be.

A thump from above drew her attention, making her grin and hop up from her chair. Before he could even knock, she threw the trapdoor open and climbed up through it to throw her arms around his neck. He stumbled in surprise, laughing as he returned the hug. “Hey, Purr-incess,” His voice was like honey against her shoulder. Marinette laid a fat kiss on his cheek, then drug him down into her room, giggling, “You have no idea how glad I am to see you.”

“I-I think I have some,” He chuckled, rubbing his blushing cheek where she’d kissed him. “I have something for you,” The bluenette sounded very excited, sitting him in her chair before she hurried downstairs. He waited patiently, spinning back and forth with a smile on his face. Glancing around her room, he noticed pictures he hadn’t before; pictures of her and her friends, some framed fashion magazines, her with Jagged Stone and the album cover she’d designed. There was also a lot of… him. _Adrien_. He could almost excuse it as her being into fashion design. He was the son of a world-famous designer, after all. But somehow that didn’t seem to fit. Was she a fan?

He picked up a framed picture of him, Alya, Nino, and Marinette. Alya had insisted they get a group photo together before quarantine started, since they didn’t know when they would get to see each other again. He had the same photo tucked away in his top drawer at home. Marinette looked so nervous to be standing beside him. Glancing at the other pictures of him, he had to wonder if it was because she actually was a fan of his, instead of what he’d assumed previously. He’d thought Marinette was always uncomfortable around him because of the rocky start to their friendship. Maybe that wasn’t the case after all.

The door in her floor opened and Marinette herself reappeared with a tray of croissants and two bottles of soda. His eyes lit up, “Croissants?” She nodded proudly, setting the tray on her desk and handing him a bottle, “I made them today. You can take whatever we don’t eat home with you.” Chat beamed up at her, about to thank her when he noticed her looking at the picture frame in his hands. “Oh, sorry,” He set it back where he’d found it, “I was just looking. Those are your friends?”

“Yeah,” She rubbed her neck, smiling at the photo, “You met Alya, and that’s Nino and Adrien.” He nodded, sipping the soda she’d given him, “I recognize him from the billboards. He’s in your class?” Marinette sighed heavily, sitting on her bed and chewing a croissant, “Yeah. I hate that I always look so foolish next to him.” Chat raised an eyebrow, turning to gesture to the rest of the Adrien photos on her wall, “I mean, you’re obviously a fan. That’s normal, right?” Her face paled, which made him tip his head curiously. She fumbled to answer at first, wringing her hands together, “Um.. right, yeah, just.. j-just a fan..” As he sat forward, his brow furrowed, “Marinette?” She scratched her forehead, “Chat, look, I.. I may have a small crush on Adrien..”

He was certain he heard that wrong. All he could do was blink at her uncomprehendingly. When he didn’t say anything, she panicked and quickly added, “But it doesn’t mean anything! I love you, nothing will change that, I promise.” _He was his own competition_. He didn’t realize he was gripping the soda bottle tighter until his claws punctured a whole in the side. They both jumped as soda sprayed all over him and the desk, “Oh god, I’m sorry!” He gripped the plastic in both hands to stop the leakage as she rushed for some towels. “I’m so sorry, Marinette,” Chat reiterated as he handed her the bottle and attempted to wipe up the mess he’d made. “It’s okay,” She assured him, glad he wasn’t facing her sewing machine. The silence between them was maddening as she went to empty the bottle in her bathroom sink and he did his best to rid himself of the sticky drink. He could feel it seeping down his neck into the cat suit. _Great_.

When she returned, she wouldn’t meet his gaze. He had to say something. “Marinette,” He gently drew her attention, “I’m not mad or jealous. I know how it is getting over a crush. It’s not easy..” He was obviously referring to Ladybug, she realized. “And I love you, too,” He continued, balling up the towel in his hands, “I know I didn’t say it the first time, but I do. I really do.” Her shoulders relaxed and she smiled at him in relief, “Thank you for understanding..”

Rubbing his neck, Chat shifted in his seat, “Um.. can I maybe use your shower?” Marinette blinked, now noticing his partially wet hair and neck. “O-Oh,” Her blush was palpable, “Y-Yeah. Yes, of course.” He thanked her quickly and headed to the bathroom.

Dropping his transformation, Adrien rounded on his kwami and pointed a finger at his little chest, “I’ll be less than 10 minutes. Don’t move, Plagg.” Plagg psh’d and waved a stubby arm at him, “Just get yourself together, don’t worry about me.” Adrien narrowed his eyes at him, then turned away to start the shower. Plagg waited for his holder to enter the shower before immediately zipping under the bathroom door to collapse on Marinette’s floor. “Help me!” He called dramatically, “he neglects me! It’s been an hour since I’ve had anything to eat!”

Marinette startled at the new voice, eyes bugging as she stared at the unfamiliar kwami on her carpet. Before she could react, Tikki appeared from her hiding place and hovered above the cat god, tiny arms on her hips, “Plagg, you are so dramatic. Get off the floor.”

“Tikki!” His whole demeanor changed as he buzzed around the red bug, tail curling happily, “It’s been so long! You look well fed, I’m jealous.” Marinette’s eye twitched and she dropped to her knees on the floor, gaze flicking between the two of them. “Tikki?!” She was desperate for an explanation, panicking because this meant that Chat Noir’s kwami now knew who she was. Tikki looked sheepish, about to answer when Plagg popped in front of her, “Don’t worry, Marinette, I knew it was you all along.” Tikki glared at him, pushing him out of the way, “Way to be gentle. Marinette, listen, it’s okay. Plagg and I can sense each other wherever we are, it was inevitable that he would know eventually.”

The bluenette pulled at the skin of her face, staring at the opposite wall in disbelief. This meant that Chat Noir was no longer transformed, and his civilian self was _using her shower_. “Wait,” She had a thought, raising an accusing eyebrow at her kwami, “then you already know who Chat Noir is.” Tikki looked away from her and nodded, shrugging, “Yes, I do.” Marinette wanted to be mad, but it wasn’t Tikki’s fault. She sighed, rubbing her eyes. Plagg hovered near her face, batting his eyelids as he asked, “Do you have any camembert?”

“Camembert?” Marinette blinked in confusion, “the cheese?” He nodded enthusiastically. “You eat stinky cheese? Gross,” She got to her feet. They probably had some somewhere. Plagg was watching her in anticipation. Eventually, she sighed and held up a finger, “Wait here.” After she was safely through the trapdoor, Tikki rounded on Plagg with angry eyes, “What were you thinking?” The destruction kwami rolled his eyes and shrugged, “Relax, Tikki, her meeting me doesn’t give away who he is. Besides, he’s thinking about telling her, anyway.” Tikki blinked, “He is? She’s thinking about telling him!” They both tapped their chins in thought. “Marinette has to do it first,” Plagg reasoned, “Adrien can’t justify revealing himself to a civilian, especially because he’s worried about Ladybug finding out if he did.”

Before Tikki could respond, the shower stopped. Plagg froze, glancing at the door and anticipating the outburst before it happened. “PLAGG!” Adrien’s voice was furious. “I need cheese!” Plagg called helplessly as Marinette reappeared with a slice of camembert for him. He scarfed it down eagerly, then patted his belly and said, “Okay, good to go!” He waved to Tikki and Marinette as he was sucked back through the door and into Adrien’s ring.

As the bathroom door opened, Tikki hurried to conceal herself once more. Marinette was knelt on the floor with her hands in her lap, cheeks pink. “I am so sorry about him,” Chat apologized quickly. She giggled, “It’s okay. He’s kinda charming, in his own way.”

“Ugh, don’t encourage his ego,” Chat grumbled, reclaiming his seat in the desk chair. His hair had been towel dried but it was still a little damp. It looked soft and fluffy, and Marinette had to restrain herself from assaulting him with pets again. “What is he?” She asked innocently, moving back to the bed. The black cat in front of her bit his lip, “He’s, uh.. where I get my power from. Thanks for indulging him..” She nodded, smiling widely.

Her hands fidgeted, and his tail flicked restlessly. They would glance at each other, then away with embarrassed smiles. After a few minutes, Marinette cleared her throat and scooted up to the top of the bed. She patted the spot beside her, “C’mere, kitty.” He didn’t hesitate, sitting on his knees facing her. She cupped his cheeks, brushing her thumbs along the seam of his mask under his eyes. Then her fingers trailed up to run through his hair, rubbing circles against the soft spots on the back of his ears. His eyes fluttered closed, deep purring filling the space around them. Shoulders slumped, he leaned against her, fingers kneading her duvet. “So cute,” She giggled, nuzzling their faces together.

Their gazes locked and she lost her breath, his bright eyes so full of adoration like she’d never seen directed at her. Her own bluebell’s flicked down to his lips for half a second, a fierce blush creeping up her neck. “Purr-incess?” He all but whispered, warm breath ghosting her face. She leaned back against the headboard, guiding his face with hers as her knees turned in. She licked her lips, watching him track the movement with round pupils. He was leaned over her now, one knee between hers and hands on either side of her. If she didn’t do something now, she might never get this opportunity again.

With a soft breath, Marinette brought their lips together. The kiss was soft and unmoving, neither of them having much prior experience, but it was perfect all the same. Her hands cupped his face, heart pounding as she felt his tail snake around her ankle and up her calf. His left hand caressed over her cheek, head tilting just slightly, but enough that they were brought even closer together. Marinette reached up and scratched his ear, causing him to let out an involuntary trill. She laughed, breaking them apart. Chat Noir blinked at her, face as red as hers felt. He grinned, kissing her forehead and whispering a breathless, “Wow…”

“No kidding,” Marinette shared his sentiments, admitting sheepishly, “I-I’ve never really kissed anyone before..” She didn’t expect him to rub his neck and shrug, “Me either..” They both giggled. Chat leaned forward to nuzzle her neck, settling on the bed curled up to her side. “Are you gonna stay tonight?” Marinette asked between them, petting his hair and kissing his ears teasingly. They flicked at her lips as he responded, “I’m thinking about it.” Now that Nathalie knew, there was much less of a concern for him to be out all night. She was the only one that would possibly check on him, right? Maybe that was wishful thinking, but in that moment, he chose to believe it.

* * *

Chat Noir stirred to Marinette’s alarm, ears twitching at the ringing. He grumbled, cuddling down further into the bed and tightening his hold against whatever he was holding to his chest. His green eyes snapped opened. They were tangled up facing each other under her duvet, Marinette’s arms around his waist and her head lying against his shoulder. The black cat’s face flushed with color, an involuntary purr escaping him. She giggled softly and squeezed around his waist, kissing his neck sleepily, “Good morning, my kitty.” Chat chirped in response, nuzzling her blue hair, “Good morning, Purr-incess.”

“You should be getting home soon,” Marinette reminded him, her voice a little disappointed but mostly understanding. He groaned, rolling onto his back and rubbing his eyes, “yeah.. I’ll definitely be missed if I’m gone too much longer.” The bluenette sat up to lean over him, batting her eyelashes cutely. He stared at her, losing his breath at the expression on her face. She giggled again, petting his right ear so his eyes fluttered before she swooped down to capture his mouth. He sighed into it, raising goosebumps along her skin. It didn’t last long, but they both looked a little disheveled by the time Marinette laid back in her spot. “Was that.. goodbye or good morning?” Chat asked teasingly, shooting her a wicked, Cheshire smile. The bluenette rolled her eyes, nudging his shoulder, “Go home, Chat.”

Sitting up, Chat smoothed his hair as best he could and got up to climb out the trapdoor. Looking down to Marinette a last time, he blew her kiss and winked. Then he was headed home. Marinette sighed dreamily, hugging her pillow which still smelled like him. Tikki was sat on the end of her desk, legs crossed and hands in her lap as she grinned at how happy her holder seemed. “You know,” The creation kwami piped up, “it’s very normal for Ladybug and Chat Noir to fall in love.” Marinette sat up to look at her, brow furrowed, “What do you mean?”

“I mean, you’re two halves of a whole,” Tikki explained, floating towards her, “creation and destruction, bravery and strategy, both at the center of all the miraculous. It’s happened many, many times in the past.” The bluenette raised an eyebrow tapping her chin, “Like.. what, destiny?” Her kwami giggled and shrugged, sitting on the pillow she still held, “More like, because the ladybug and black cat miraculous have to be held by people who are compatible in almost every way, romance is a lot easier between them.” Marinette could only grin at that. It made her more certain that she needed to tell Chat Noir who she was.

* * *

“Someone looks like they got a first kiss,” Alya’s words were too loud. Adrien had woken up that morning with a permanent smile on his face that persisted into his and Nino’s play session. The kiss was two days ago, and he’d been on cloud nine ever since. It only made him happier that Marinette looked just as flustered as he felt about it.

At Alya’s accusatory teasing, he and Marinette both fell into sputtered explanations, talking over each other and making the other incomprehensible. Alya and Nino stared at Adrien in surprised, waiting for the two of them to stop talking before Alya clarified, “Um, I was talking about Marinette. Who are _you_ kissing?” Adrien froze, blinking at the screen and breathing shallowly. “Uh,” He said lamely, licking his lips, “No one. I-I mean, who could I be kissing? We’re in quarantine, remember?” Nino cocked an eyebrow to tell him that was the least convincing thing he could’ve said.

Marinette was looking at him with a mixture of concern and surprise. Who _could_ he be kissing? Even if it were a situation like with her and Chat Noir, she knew for an undoubtable fact that Ladybug wasn’t visiting him at night. Then who? Adrien was looking back at her as if to ask for help, which only confused her further. “Why are you looking at me like that?” The words fell out of her mouth before she could stop them.

Silence.

“I have to go,” Adrien suddenly hung up. Alya snorted, getting that determined look on her face that meant she smelled a scoop, “He’s hiding something. Something big. He’s been acting weird ever since Chat Noir started visiting you, Mari.” That was true. And he always seemed to make himself scarce during calls when they talked about Chat. Was he… jealous? No, that couldn’t be it. Not only was Marinette certain he didn’t like her that way, but his demeanor lacked all the anger that usually accompanied jealousy. _Avoiding talk of Chat Noir, mirroring her lovestruck expressions, staying up all night_. She was suddenly struck with a thought that caught her completely off guard.

 _What if… what if Adrien is Chat Noir_?

Her jaw dropped open on instinct. Alya and Nino blinked in surprise. “You better share whatever revelation you just had,” Her best friend crossed her arms expectantly. Marinette shook her head rapidly, “Gotta go, I’ll talk to you later!” She hung up before they could protest. “Oooohh, Tikki!” Marinette was panicking, getting up to pace around her room. Her kwami zipped to her side, “What’s wrong, Marinette?” The bluenette cupped the bug god in her hands, forcing herself to say, “I think Adrien is Chat Noir.” She half expected Tikki to start laughing, but instead, the kwami blinked at her and chuckled nervously, “Oh. Uh, why would you think that?” That confirmed it in Marinette’s mind. She flopped dramatically on her chaise, face down, “Oh no! I told him I had a _crush_ on him, Tikki!”

“Well, that’s good, isn’t it?” Tikki tried to comfort her holder, patting her head, “I mean, they’re the same person, so he was probably relieved.” Marinette groaned, tugging on her pigtails. She sat up, glancing around her room at all the pictures of Adrien. Adrien who was apparently Chat Noir. Adrien who she’d been petting and kissing and cuddling and-

Tikki appeared in her line of sight, waving her arms, “Marinette, it’s okay! You love each other. There’s nothing to get worked up about.” The bluenette whined, “But Tikki, what if I can’t talk to him right anymore? Chat Noir was so easy to talk to, but I lose all control around Adrien!”

“Adrien and Chat Noir are the same person,” Her kwami helpfully reiterated, “if you’ve been talking fine to Chat, you can talk fine with Adrien.” Marinette still looked uncertain, so Tikki hugged her cheek and said, “I know you can do it. I believe in you.” Marinette took a deep breath and let it out slowly, rubbing her temples, “Okay.. you’re right. I’ve got this. And… I can tell him I’m Ladybug. But.. what if he doesn’t visit tonight? What if he’s worried I figured it out and now he doesn’t want to see me anymore?” Tikki shook her head, “Then why don’t you go to him?”

* * *

Ladybug was practically flying across the rooftops. She couldn’t chance Chat Noir not showing up on her balcony tonight, she needed to see him as soon as possible. She had to tell him who she was. As she swung past a taller complex, she noticed a black blur zip by overhead. Following in the direction she saw it go, she called, “Chat Noir!” For a second, it appeared that she’d lost him, or maybe it wasn’t him at all. But then she saw him perched on a street sign not far ahead, looking back at her in surprise. “My lady?” He jumped to meet her on the ledge of a terrace, “is something wrong?”

Ladybug grabbed his hand urgently, “No, but I wanted to tell you something.” He looked conflicted, green eyes glancing behind him to where he was originally headed. _The bakery_ , Ladybug realized, _he was coming to visit after all_. She didn’t expect him to let her hand go and turn away as he said, “I’m really sorry, ladybug, but it’ll have to wait. I have somewhere important to be.” He took off once more, with Ladybug in hot pursuit, “Wait, Chat!” She followed him all the way to her balcony, panting as he finally stopped and gave her a very strange look. She straightened up as she caught her breath, “Marinette’s not there.”

Chat balked at her, “H-How do you know?” She rubbed her cheek, stepping past him to open the trapdoor and disappear inside. He followed her after a moment’s hesitation. As they stood in Marinette’s bedroom, Chat glanced around anxiously. Was Ladybug going to reprimand him for seeing a civilian and jeopardizing his identity? She was the one who gave him the advice to follow his heart and confess his love. And why wasn’t Marinette here? “Ladybug?” Chat was desperate for an explanation. Her back was to him, her lip being worried between her teeth. This was it, no going back. Hopefully she wasn’t wrong.

Turning to face her super partner, Ladybug smiled softly and said, “I was trying to tell you, kitty. Tikki, spot off.” She closed her eyes as her transformation dissolved, Tikki appearing by her side with a sheepish smile. Marinette carefully peaked at his reaction. His eyes were huge, mouth agape in shock. He shook his head, rubbed his eyes, and stared at her some more. “M-Mar-.. but.. you’re-..?”

“I’m Ladybug,” She confirmed, clasping her hands behind her back and scuffing her foot on the carpet, “I’m.. really sorry about lying to you.. I-I didn’t know how to tell you, or if I should tell you.. I was scared you’d be angry..” Chat didn’t move, his legs feeling heavy and mouth dry. “Angry?” He whispered, “are you serious? This is.. you’re the best possible Ladybug I could’ve hoped for.” She grinned and blushed deeply. She wanted to go to him, to embrace him, but he was still just standing there like he didn’t know what to do with himself.

Eventually, he turned his head to the wall of photographs, brow furrowing in contemplation. _Now or never_ , he reasoned. Looking back to Marinette, he sighed, “Plagg, claws in.” And before her stood Adrien Agreste, staring down at the floor like he feared her gaze, and Plagg with a stupid grin on his face. Marinette resisted the urge to squeal into a pillow, swallowing the lump in her throat and forcing herself to say “I-I may have already f-figured you out…”

“Yeah,” Adrien rubbed his arm, still not looking at her, “I was afraid I might have given myself away today. That’s why I was rushing over here. I didn’t want to lie to you anymore. I know we’re not supposed to reveal our secret identities to anyone, but-“

“But we’re not just anyone to each other,” Marinette nodded in understanding stepping forward to cautiously take his hand. He snapped his gaze to hers and it knocked the breath out of her. How could she not have known it was him, all this time? It seemed so obvious now, looking into his eyes this way. “Marinette?” Adrien gripped her hand, his free one tentatively cupping her cheek. Her knees were weak, but she managed to stay standing because this was still her kitty. This was still Chat Noir. This was still the boy she loved and who loved her.

She leaned up on her toes to press a kiss to his cheek, hugging around his neck and whispering in his ear, “I love you, kitty.” If he could’ve purred, he would have. Instead, he settled for a relieved chuckle as he returned her embrace, “I love you, too, Purr-incess.”


End file.
